Central nervous system TNFalpha-mRNA expression during rabbit experimental pneumococcal meningitis.
In pneumococcal meningitis inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) are produced in large quantities and play a major role in pathogenesis. It is not known exactly which cells produce these mediators during infection. We investigated the localisation of TNFalpha-mRNA in the central nervous system (CNS) by in situ hybridisation during experimental Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis. TNF-positive cells were detected only in inflammatory infiltrates within the meninges. Cells within the brain parenchyma and the choroid plexus were completely negative. After monocyte depletion, no TNFalpha-mRNA positive cells were detected in the CNS. These findings suggest that TNFalpha in pneumococcal meningitis is produced in the CNS mainly by blood-derived, infiltrating monocytes.
Bitsch
A
A
Department of Neurology, University of Göttingen, Germany. abitsch@t-online.de
Trostdorf
F
F
Brück
W
W
Schmidt
H
H
Fischer
F R
FR
Nau
R
R
D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009000:Monocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011817:Rabbits; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha